Solon sounds the alarm for 170,000 Filipinos to be deported from Malaysiabeginning February 1

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today sounded the alarm regarding thecrisis threatening to erupt in Malaysia that will victimize Filipino migrantsthere. Beltran, vice-chairman of the Special Committee on Overseas Workers'Affairs said that the Malaysian government is slated to begin its a crackdownagainstPhilippine nationals who are staying illegally in the state on February1.

"It's very doubtful that the Philippine government is prepared to rescue and receiving deported Filipino nationals from Sabah. The arrest and deportationof an estimated 170,000 Filipino illegal immigrants in the state over a shortperiod could lead yet another crisis for the Philippines," he said.

Beltran said that Philippine officials in Sabah have already admitted that itsimpossible for the government to handle the situation if 170,000 people aredeported and made to return to the Philippines almost at once.

"We cannot have Filipinos - including babies and the elderly- being stuffed intoships and made to suffer the most degrading conditions while being transported.The Macapagal-Arroyo government should work full-time in negotiating with theMalaysian government to extend the deadline, even as the Philippine authoritiesprepare for the repatriation of the Filipinos,"

Beltran criticized the Macapagal-Arroyo government for for its lack ofproactive response to the plight of Filipino refugees. "Whether government hasprepared contingency measures to help the deportees rebuild their lives or buildnew homes remains questionable," he said." The Departments of social welfareand development, foreign affairs, and health should immediately get crackingand prepare a contingency plan to secure the health and safety of theseFilipinos."

Most refugees hail from Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi far-flung provinces that arecontinually gripped by grinding poverty and war. Under these circumstances,carving out a new life looks dim. After nearly a decade in Sabah, many peoplelike Uttoh and Nusia have returned to Mindanao only to find that the conditionsthat forced them to leave have hardly improved.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had said recently that therewould be no extension of the Jan 31 amnesty deadline.

The impending operations against illegal immigrants from Feb 1 is already anextension as Malaysia extended the Dec 31 deadline by a month following the Dec26 earthquake and tsunami tragedy.The deadline was first extended from Oct 29 in conjunction with the IndonesianPresident's inauguration.#